Citation
Florida as a health-resort

Material Information

Title:
Florida as a health-resort
Creator:
Lente, Frederick D ( Frederick Divoux ), 1823-1883
Place of Publication:
New York
Publisher:
D. Appleton
Publication Date:
Language:
English
Physical Description:
34 p. : ; 24 cm.

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Medical climatology -- Florida ( lcsh )
Climate -- Florida ( lcsh )
Genre:
non-fiction ( marcgt )

Notes

General Note:
"<Reprinted from the New York Medical Journal, Nov. 1876">
Statement of Responsibility:
by Frederic D. Lente.

Record Information

Source Institution:
University of Florida
Holding Location:
University of Florida
Rights Management:
All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
Resource Identifier:
025212777 ( ALEPH )
01851593 ( OCLC )
AHV7202 ( NOTIS )

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AS A


FREDERIC
REPRESENTATIVE FROM FLORIDA
MEDICAL COMMISSION ; MEMBER
OP BOARD OF MANAGERS
AMERIOAN NEUROLOGICAL]
OF WOMEN AND CHIL
HONORARY MEMBER
SOCIETY; CORRl
MIDICO-LEGOA


LENTE,


A.M.


ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CENTENNIAL
R Or THE AMERICAN PUBLIC-HEALTH ASSOCIATION;
OP HUDSON RIVER STATE HOSPITAL ; OF THE
L ASSOCIATION; LATE PROFESBOR OF DISEASES
DREN IN THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK;
R OF NORTH CAROLINA STATE MEDICAL
IBPONDING MEMBER O NEW YORK
L SOCIETY; VICE-PRESIDENT NEW


YORK NEUROLOGICAL SOCIETY, ETC.


[REPRINTED FROM THE NEW YORK MEDICAL JOtURNAL, NOV., 1876.]


NEW


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FLORIDA


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HEALTH-RESORT.


Fox


years


a phthisical


embarrassing


the question, Where sha
or phthisically-inclined


one


to the


physician.


II I spend the winter ?


patient, has


Winter resorts, some of


them entirely dissimilar in the characteristics of their climate,
have risen or fallen in the estimation of the public, and, to
some extent, among medical men, according to the prevalence
or decline of a theory, or apparently even a fashion; and we
are still, to a great extent, at sea as to what is the most favor-


able


location


whether any


an invalid


change is desirable.


winter or


spring,


The cold and dry regions,
reio r


e. g., Minnesota; the elevated regions, with their rarefied air,
e. g., the Engadine in Europe, the mountains of Peru in South


America, Laramie and Colorado in this country, have had their
pilgrims, and neither theory nor fashion seems to sustain their


reputation. The til
many years, absorb
lately fallen greatly


me-honored resorts of Italy, which, for so


ed almost


in the


the entire ii


estimation of


invalid travel, have
intelligent people,


who could not fail, after the charm of novelty and the haze of
romance had been dispelled, to see on how unstable a founda-
tion, in a climatic and hygienic point of view, her reputation


- Ii


been


based.


forts of Bennett,


Even Mentone, to


for a


long


series of


which the name and ef-
years, gave a fictitious


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been an


or even


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prominence as a health-resort, and rendered it, for the English


invalids


least, a medical Mecca, has failed to respond satis-


factorily to the test of time and experience.


One who wishes


to get a thorough eypoeb of the peculiarities of Italian climate,
from a responsible source, should consult the entertaining book


of Dr.
Bermud


James Johnson on Change of Air."


la


through


s lately
efforts of


'been


recalled


a transportation


The climate of


some


prominence


company;


those


who


have remained there for a few weeks have been more in-


jured


than


benefited.


Those


who


merely


made the voyage,


and remained but a week or two, have seemed to be somewhat
improved in health.


little


been


known among our people concerning


climate of Florida.


Comparatively


visited the


State
long


prior to
Seminole


war.


War


Many causes conspired to this


unsettled


state of


affairs for many


years after; the impossibility of securing any decent accommo-


dation for invalids


then the civil war checked travel and immi-


gration, and rendered the State still a terra incognita.


Now,


everything has
there, especially


changed.


one


who


paid a visit


John's River region, for three or


four years, it is as if the magician's wand had been waved over


Not only


those


seeking health, but settlers, in the shape


of farmers, of men of means, even of wealth, of education, and


refinement


, have been pouring in along the river counties;


many


as twelve


thousand


have


been


estimated as the influx


into


Orange County alone


in twelve


months.


Forests have


been leveled.


Orange-groves have taken their places.


Schools


and
ety
-few


churches have sprung up, and refined and agreeable soci-


can
short


be found over a large extent of country,
t years ago a howling wilderness existed.


here but a
The tide


of invalid travel having been diverted from its usual channels


this favored


spot, the attention of


the medical profession


has naturally


been attracted there also, and a growing desire


has been manifested to secure reliable and definite information
in place of the various conflicting reports which are constantly


flooding thi


Journals
collected


and magazines of


coun try.


The


a large amount of valuable infarmtiom


aana kaA


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the suggestion of friends and physicians, a somewhat elaborate
account of the climate, remarkable objects of interest, and re-
sources of Florida,- especially as a health-resort, when he found
that he was overtaxing his available time and health, and now


offers, as a


thinks


poor


substitute, such


may prove


interesting


remarks and suggestions as
or serviceable to the profes-


81on


for which he may be able to find room in the some-


what restricted compass of a medical journal.


The discussion of the broad question of


rlous


climate, in its va-


aspects and bearings, has always been a perplexing one.


It is especially so when we, as physicians, come to consider it


in its relations


to any particular individual,


or even any par-


ticular
which


disease.


analyze


we are confronted


mass


information


with


, to scrutinize the various conflicting


statements of equally


thing


reliable


a definite and


observers, and


satisfactory conclusion,


to deduce any-


with regard


to any particular
difficulty. To th


locality


sort of


or country, is a matter of no small


investigation


writer


dressed himself for the past two years, in the case of Florida;
and indeed, for the most part, only to a small portion of the


peninsula, that


which is most accessible to invalids.


For, un-


proper facilities for easy travel and proper accommodation


are provided for those


larger portions


lying along the Indian


River, and


along the Gulf


coast, south of Tampa,


which


supposed by many to present attractions superior to the more


northern


portions, their relative merits may profitably be left


out of the


question.


The great bulk of tourists and invalids


have


heretofore


distributed


themselves along the St.


John's


River and


at St. Augustine.


A few go into the pine-regions


of the interior to get away from the river.


will in Florida, it
tion of the count
bodies of water.


But, go where one


s diMcult, owing to the peculiar conforma-


;ry, to escape


influence


With reference to Florida,


considerable


"almost without


a metaphor," says "Chambers's Encyclopaedia," "it may be de-


scribed as. amphibious." T
disadvantage, constitutes, to


his, however, so far from being a


a certain


extent, its charm, and


will, in


the future, constitute a


great source 'of


its wealth-


L. -- -t-_ t- --- --.- A.L ____ _- ... -1- A.. .-.


are


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crystal lakes.


A study of most of the works on Florida,


from


that of Le


Moyne,


who


visited the territory as artist to


French


Bartrams,


expedition


who


under


Laudonniire


visited it as naturalists


in 1564, and the
1772, to the latest


publications,


ificluding periodicals,


pamphlets,


newspa-


pers; access to all the records bearing upon the subject in the
possession of the War Department, the library of the Surgeon-


General, and other .depositories in


Washington;


a careful col-


nation of


the various meteorological and other tables included


in these records


personal interviews with distinguished medi-


cal officers of the army,


who have served in all parts of


Flor-


ida, and


with


many of the scientific and medical residents of


State,


with some of 'her representatives in Congress; and,


lastly, the opportunity for consulting a considerable


number


thousands


intelligent


visitors


and invalids,


who


passed through, or located for the season at the writer's winter


residence, have afforded
the intricacies of the


him unusual facilities for unraveling


subject


so graphically


described


Scoresby Jackson.


the relative


The last source of information, as regards


merits of various climates, he considers of more


value than all the others, more so than even an extended


sonal


observation.


For invalids are by far the best judges of


climate; they are living barometers and hygroneters.


Here,


you have


the. opportunity


to question and cross-question the


reporters, and not only


thus to arrive at the truth, but,


what


books


seldom


give, the


whole


truth.


All of these indi-


viduals


were intelligent and


educated


people, most of them


invalids who had traveled the world over in search of health,
and tested its renowned sanitary resorts, some of them winter
after winter. Few of them had any *particular prejudice for
or against any special locality, save from its actual effect, but


were, from self-interest, in search of


the best.


The evidence of those who have tested the climate of Flor-


ida by sufficient personal
nation of the data furnish
favortble character. The


a few aeke to roamning from one
I AI -- -


observation, or by a careful exami-
ed by others, has been of the most
opinion of those who have devoted


locality to oanber, or who


_ A-% u l..- ...




S, *
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4


may be profitably neglected. .From the very earliest discovery
of the continent, the remarkable salubrity of the climate, and
the extraordinary transparency and purity of the springs, gave


origin


tradition


that a


"fountain of


youth "


existed
I


somewhere within the borders of the territory, and led to the
expedition of the romantic and chivalric De Leon in search of
it. The first impression of a visitor, who has been led to form


a picture


Florida


from


enthusiastic


descriptions


writers,
part, is


aided,


not


perhaps, by a


unfrequently


vivid


that


imagination


on his


own


disappointment.


longer acquaintance almost always leads to a revulsion of sen-
timent, and a succession of visits to something of the enthusi-


asm of the earlier historians.


able data with


regard


to the


A reasonable amount of valu-
meteorology of Florida is sup-


plied by the volumes of the "Medical Statistics of the United


States Army;"
a sanitary point


but if one undertakes to judge of a climate, in


view, .or


fitness of


any particular


country or district for invalids, by mere


latitude or tempera-


ture, or its variability or invariability, its dryness or humidity,
he will fail to comprehend the philosophy of the subject. Its
geography, especially its physical geography, must be studied,
its position with regard to surrounding or neighboring seas or
bodies of water, to great currents both of air and water, to its


relation


storm-centres


tracks of


storms, to mountain-


ranges, not


only within


its own borders, but. sometimes at a


distance from them.


Thus Florida has often been


poetically


described as


"the


runs through the so


Italy of America," yet the parallel which
nthern extremity of the peninsula is 25,


while the southern extremity of Italy is 380. The
440, and the Isle of Wight and Torquay nearly 51


Riviera is
,; yet the


winter climate of the latter is very pleasant, and highly recom-


mended in England for consumptives.


While one can usually


live in perfect comfort in Florida, even away from
if at rest in the shade, under a temperature of 95


the coast,
the same


person
would
fort.


under


L,


a like temperature


New


probably be in a state of mental and


York


or Canada,


physical discom-


It is the insular position*of Florida, withbthe proximity


d.the Gulf Stream flowing north, and the cold arctic current


S' '




-l -


, .4
:. :,


r~W~


flowing south, the comparatively narrow strip of country Mq-


rating the Atlantid and


the Gulf, and


the .numerous snfalter


bodies of
prevailing


water
winds


abundantly distributed


over its surface, the


always sweeping over water


a unifortt


temperature, which modifies the heat of summer and the cold
of winter. The peculiar character of the climate,"' says br.
Robert Southgate (" United States Army Medical Report"),
"consists less in the mean annual tern neramtnr than in thA


manner of its distribution


an insular clin
modified; althc
47 73' colder t
place is only 80


nate,


- II- .


- -. r K V..


throughout


extremes


nugh the winter at Fort


han


at Tampa
warmer.


Bay,


year.


temperature


v flbu a -


Possessing
are much


Selling, Minnesota, is
t summer at the latter


-In the summer season, the mer-


cury rises


higher


in any portion of


United


States, and


even in Can
"Within the


ada,


than


period of


does


along the coast of Florida."


six years," says Forry,


"the mercury


at Key West was never known to rise higher than 900 Fabr., or
lower than 44 Fahr." The variabiity of the winter tempera-
ture has frequently been noticed, and has been often alluded
to, by those who have not had personal experience of the actual


effects of these


changes


on the


human


system, or with


modifying influence on these changes of the peculiar constitu-
tion and surroundings of the State, many of which have al-
ready been pointed out, as greatly detracting fiom its value as


a health-resort.


A change in twelve hours, for instance, from


70 to 60 or 50, has a very different effect on the sick from


a change of
or Chicago.


a like number of degrees in Boston, New York,
Practically, these variations are of actual benefit


to those invalids who are


tolerably careful,


and who take the


precaution to change clothing with the change of temperature.
A continuous temperature of from 75 to 800 at mid-day, for
a number of consecutive days, is generally felt as a serious in-
bonvenience, especially by the more advanced and debilitated


Omes


phthisis,


these


generally


longed


for-the cold


perience


6eange, knowing by ex
the .ed4 heat of some


dv'ev hbih. and very am ble


their' tonic


effect,


where


troppal regions, though not oexs-


-.


moat unmnn_ t aienrlv


I__ _Cl




*


valids.


With regard


these variations of temperature, Dr.


Southgate remarks,


"Rarely is the change seo


great as to imi-


prees the individual in fair health, uncomfortably, and the in-


valid has


invariably sufficient warning to guard


against it."


Surgeon-General Lawson, United States Army, speaking from


an extended personal experience,
ida is remarkably equable, and


"The climate of Flor-


proverbially agreeable, being


subject


fewer


atmospheric variations, and its atmospheric


ranges much less, than


any other part of


United


States


except a portion of the coast of California."
faults it may have, the climate of Florida, in


With whatever
comparison with


most others, stands


preeminent.


I have watched


with some


anxiety, the


cases of


those


more


advanced stages of


consumption,


when the diurnal


temperature ranged,


as it did


last winter, from December 5th to December 16th,


as follows:


780, 820, 82, 83, 840, 81


, 820, 810, 81


, as I heard them


complaining


from day


day, and


was


gratified,


when


mercury showed


their


690 at


expressions of


the same


relief, and


manner and appearance.


hours


to see


This was an


on the 16th, to hear


their entire change of
unusual series of days


for Florida.in winter;
tion is quite common,


but a high temperature of shorter dnra-


the cool, sometimes


cold,


change


which succeeds, so far from causing colds and pneumonic com-


plications, common


under


circumstances


at the


North,


generally acts like a cold


shower-bath, and braces up the sys-


tern.


The occasional *wood- fires, around


which


invalids


so cozily congregate on the cool days, are


never unacceptable


as a pleasant change, and


contrast


favorably with


more


uniform and debilitating heat and monotony of more tropical


climates.


Nothing, in fact,


is so distasteful


injurious to


most invalids as monotony.


The writer has always believed


in the traditional


idea that when


phthisis


had arrived at


stage of softening, a removal to a warm climate is not a bene-


fioial change, that a sudden and rapid


increase of the trouble


is pretty sure


follow.


A study of


such


cases


w


has not tended to establish the correctness of this idea.
0


inter
On


the contrary, the progress of the disease wa slower, if not en-


. t a J


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they sometimes are) on


their arrival, even with the dieadvan-


tage of being deprived of the comforts of home, which they so


much need.


Every village and


hamlet in


Florida can


prob-


ably furnish its examples of people who have come there years
ago, only, in the opinion of their friends, to die, and who are


noDw doing well,


some of them


apparently in full


health.


is impossible, of course, to say, without a physical examination,


how many'of these were cases of


chronic bronokitis, or other


affections


simulating


phthisis, but


their


history showed


that


they would almost certainly have died except for their change


climate.


This little village, in which I have taken up my


winter abode, can furnish several
that the more uniform heat of ti


examples.


tropical


It is very likely


climates may furnish


stronger evidence of the correctness of this commonly-received
opinion among medical men.


The temperature


similar to


that of


a typical May or


September


in New


York, and


usually delightful.


period


twenty


years,


was


Jacksonville,


on the


John's, for January, February, and March, 62


at St. Angus-


tine, 590


Pilatka, latitude


290 34'


, it was, last winter, for


January, February, March, and April, at 12 x., 680 50'


average temperature, taken during these


The


months every hour,


from 12 at night until 6 A. M.,


was 570 40'


A slight film of


ice is oc asionally seen during the winter, and slight frosts are
not rare north of the 25th parallel, but not often injurious to


vegetation.


Williams, in


history of Florida, speaks of a


snow-storm which appeared in 1774, and


extended


over most


of the


State.


"The


ancient


inhabitants," he


writes,


" still


speak of it as an extraordinary white rain.'"
As regards hygrometric conditions, it is necessary to say a


few words.


The "dampness" of the climate has beep much


talked


about by those who


have


regarded


only the


physical


aspect of tl
everywhere,
of the air.


e State,
without


the large


proportion


any knowledge of the


The air is, during


water existing


actual


0


summer, very damp.


condition
Gans,


surgiB-


instruments,


etc.,


rust


spite of


preantions.


Mam, rain lls durinr this memos than all the othem ammbinLd;




* E, *i- ,^ ^
~


tI^'Qi


S4


,' IL


special precautions necessary to preserve my instruments from


rust, and boots and. shoes, long neglected, showed


no mould.


At some of the prominent reports in Florida the invalid is con-
ecious of an unpleasant dampness after sunset, when out-of-doors


and not in active motion.


As a rule, these places are usually


surrounded


by large


trees, with


their


usual


funereal


adorn-


ments of Spanish moss,


which may, in some measure,


account


for this. At Pilatka, and at other points farther up the river,
it is not so. This village, with an elevation of twenty-five feet,


has a natural drainage on three sides, a


peculiar soil, and


large trees, only the wild-orange, and other tropical


trees of


slight elevation, simply for ornament.


Here,


when the air is


too cool, one


may be


until


or eleven


o'clock at


night with comfort, though


is not advisable for invalids to


exposed


at this


hour.


The


dews, usually heavy, do


commence rt
commencing


gather until
o fall, and


twelve
falling


o'clock
steadily


mercury then


until


or six.


Until 11 P. M., or


later, last


winter, a


handkerchief


could


swept over the grass-which is here, unlike other localities in
the State, as green as in a Northern village in summer-with-


out being


during


moistened.


the day, there


When


mercury rises to 75"


are fogs;


invalid


or 80


rarely


them


, as they commence


midnight, or later, and are diesi-


pated


by the sun


before


their


breakfast-hour.


A great deal


has been said, by those interested in other winter resorts, about


the fogs and dampness along the river;


but there is really no


more dampness than is useful, indeed necessary, to prevent too


rapid


radiation of heat from


surface of the


earth, and a


consequent too rapid tall of temperature.


Were it not for this


provision of the climate, instead of a fall of ten or twelve de-


agrees, we should, perhaps, have one of thirty to forty.


In the


desert of Sahara, for example,


where the dryness


is absolute,


and radiation at night unrestricted, the temperature falls to
the freeoing-point; and on bur Western Plains the difference
between the diurnal and nocturnal temperature is sometimes


600.


Here while the evaporation of moisture during the day


tempen


the heat, the condensation at night limits the cold.


At Fr Xinr. in th. sume


section of


the State as


Pilatka.




"* 4t*~ 1t
-- ^ :. .- I ',.
S,ir
1 1 *w ,
f.,
I 2' 1.'
4 ,'
-- ^ .'


4 b


4, 'a
*
*


Forry gives the annual number of fair days as 809 for a ied


of years, and


on the Northern Lakes 117.


'On the oM d of


Florida the number is 250.


A moist climate is not neceuarily


bad for consumptives, though it is generally so.


On the Nile,


though


most


cases do welr at


Thebes


Cairo, others do


better at Alexandria.


The climate of Lipna is very dry,


consumption is very common, while on the mountains back- of


Lima the air is always damp and


rain common, yet consump-


tion is rare.
and moisture


Cold and


moisture are always bad, but warmthi


may or may not be so.


The question as to the


influence of large bodies of water on the production and prog-


ress of phthisis
contemplating


1s 80


important, especially to those physicians


adoption of Florida


for their patients, that, at the


risk of


as a winter residence


extending' the limits of


this paper unduly, I quote a very instructive table from Forry,'


with an abstract of his remarks on the same, and his


prelimi-


nary observations:
"Having already


demonstrated


that


regions


. United States, on the same parallels of latitude,
teams of climate very diverse in character, viz.-1.


bordering


inland


on the


seas;


ocean


Those


Those
remote


under
from


such


present sys-
The regions
influence of
controlling


powers-it will


seen


that these


laws


climate


main-


an intimate


diseases.


relation


It seems


with


etiology


well-established


pulmonary
r that the


prevalence of


mate,


increases


catarrk and


decreases


inf-uenza,


in each


in proportion


system
as the


seasons


are contracted, thus


maintaining an


unvarying relation


with


the extreme range of the
seasons."


thermometer as connected with the


" The


following


table


. presents,


a condensed


form,


so far as regards the


oatarral


forms of


pulmonic


lesions,


the results of the quarterly


sick-reports of forty-five perma-


nent ports, arranged


classes,


comprising a


period


year :


The Climate of the United State, and its Endemic Influeau, besd
bhidy on the Reoords of the Medieal Department and A4Jutut-Genuaus.


Ofao United State Army. 1849."


tain




ii' I:'1
; -
4 .
S,


* V4


SYSTEMS OF CLIMATE.


1Ft Cma.-Poetaon cot ofN. England.
ld Cs.--Poete on N. chain of lakes..
8d ClMf.-Post remote from the ocean
sed intend eMa.. ......................
1st Ciaw.-Prom DeL Bay to Savannah.
d (OCm-B-outhwestern stations......
SIst caue.-Posta on Lower MI.i lppl.
I d Claa.-Posts in pelnhnla of lorida.


Average.. .....................


48* 18
*wV w


88 61
48 00


l AIO atrani aTD
1,o0 Smwem.


"This table cc
stations, those of 1
"This table,
ratios of each sysl
relations and seqi
etiology of catarrt
ologi6al laws esta
Division, consist
England coast, as
ature, the annual
as low as 233; oni
influence is in ope
acterized by the
ratio of 5562. Bn
and isocheimal li
summer and wini
ame space, press
elimae. As these


nutains, besides the results of the permanent
the thiity-one temporary ports in Florida."


which exhibi
tem of climate
iences, affords


hal


:t
e,
;a


affections as


kblished.
ng ot the 1
the ocean
ratio, treat
the Great


Take,
first


the annual and quarterly
and serves to elncidate their
beautiful illustration of the
Ionnected with the meteor-
for example, the Noathern
bh: eeew


modifies the
ed per 1,00 wl
Lakes, where t


,ration, it is 800; wlifle
extreme range of thi
t let us follow more i
inee representingg the i
her), which describe fAo
nting alternately a
e lines, on the coast of'


- --




. ..-^ ?~1 :^ -
4^^
^ -. ^ *
j


the line of


equal summer rises, and that of winter sinkl, and


the ratio increases proportionally ;


proceeding into the region


of the Lakes, the lines again converge beneath the controlling


power of the waters, and the ratio of
modified accordingly; again advance


yond these ocean-lakes, the average


isotheral and


catarrh and influenza is
1ing into the interior be-
rises in proportion as the


isocheimal lines tend to opposite directions.


the other


divisions


the same


law obtains.


On the


Atlantic


coast, between the Delaware and Savannah Rivers, the annual


ratio


is 271,


while


average of the


interior


posts of the


Middle Division
their south than


, notwithstanding this class lies somewhat far-


the former, is 290.


As most of the


posts of


the first class of the Southern Division are on the Lower Mis-


eissippi, and are much


water, the


annual


under the influence of large


ratio is as low as 218


while


t


bodies of
he second


class,


which comprises the mild,


insular climate of East Flor-


ida, has


an average of


only


143."


thus see


that


large


bodies of water modify climate


favorably, and


that the ratio


of pulmonary disease increases with the increase of the mean


annual


ranges of temperature as regards the seasons, rater


than


prevalence of sudden


or diurnal


vicissitudes


that the injurious effects of moisture, even in cold climates, are
more than counterbalanced by the modification of the temper-


nature of the air induced by the warmth of the water


while


warm


climates, in


winter,


moisture


has a


positively


beneficial effect in limiting the diurnal vicissitudes.


As regards liability to disease in


Florida, a careful


exam-


nation


of the


" Medical


Statistics of the


Army," extending


through a long series of


years, personal


observation, and con-


versation with medical officers engaged in the Seminole
indicate a remarkable exemption, throughout the State,


War,
, fiom


malignant


with


or even


very


the exception


serious


diseases.


Northern


"At


Division," says


seasons,
Forry,


"the mortality is lower in East Florida than in any other elam


of poets."


He ascribes this, in a great measure, to "itt being


nearly


wholly


a state of


Nature."


Oircumstanoep have


hLanged since then,o of oure, and the oleariug of the Anert,
especially the hammock, ha developed in the sunear w n


a n-naiAamnhla In n an nU fwv


N MelthaahhfVf r Mti


*wa~L


I


I




I%
h .L


sive exposure and fatigue endured by onr troops in the Indian
wars, in penetrating the swamps and Everglades in pursuit of


the savages, the


'amount of serious


disease


developed was re-


markably small, and the ratio of mortality, as Forry has shown,


correspondingly so-only twenty-six per 1,000;


while in other


portions


United


States


was


Barnes, our present Surgeon-General,


thirty-five.


informs


the


on one occasion he accompanied a boat-expedition


General


writer that
through a


portion


of the


constantly wet, t
eating uncooked
alarming the en


Everglades,


making


, although


their


food, being


way


they


at night,


afraid to


light


were


for a


fires for


Most
time
ear of


emy, no severe cases of fever or rheumatism


were


developed in


the detachment.


General


Crane, the AA-


sistant Surgeon-General,


gives similar testimony from his own


experience.
In the "Statistical


Report of the Sickness and


Mortality


of the


United States Army," from 1855 to 1860, is a table, at


page 163, which exhibits the sickness and mortality among the


troops


stationed


at the


especially as regards the


interior


Gulf


posts, and


former, the most


embracing,


unhealthy part of


peninsula.


The


number of


cases


whole


year is


19,312, the deaths 119, or 0.61 per cent. There were but four
cases of congestive fever, none of which died. It could there-


hardly have


been of


the severe


character which is met


with in other parts of the country.


If we take into considera-


tion-the very unfavorable circumstances surrounding the small


commands scattered over this area, the


bad water, poor food,


hard work, and continuous exposure of all kinds, the small per-
centage of mortality is remarkable, and shows that, although


the cases


reported


for treatment are very numerous, the dis-


eases of all kinds were very amenable to treatment and rapid


cure; as all the military operations went on successfully


not-


withstanding this very


large amount of


sickness.


The very


small


percentage of deaths from


diseases


of the respiratory'


organs is especially noteworthy--only thirteen


case


among


the 19,000 of all diseases treated.


Notwithstanding the damp-


'ne, rait, and exposure, there were olily.thirty-three case of
a


wemtwk and


twenty-five of Dneumonia.


"I have served in









D. 8. Yulee, United Statee Senate, October, 1866M


"and


have


served


also with an army on the Northern frontier, and, from


my experience of the


influence of


climate


active opera-


tions in the field on the health of soldiers, I have no hesitation
in expressing the belief that, had the troops engaged in the
Florida War been engaged for the same length of time in ac-
tive operations, in winter and summer, on the frontiers of Can-


ada, though the cases of


disease might have


been less numer-


oue, the mortality would


have


been


infinitely- greater, than


was experienced in Florida."
Tourists are industriously warned, by persons interested in


other localities in Florida, against the malaria of the St.


River.


is undeniable


that


persons


do occasionally


John's
suffer.


from it during the winter season.


except to those who


But it rarely gives trouble


are unusually careless in exposing them-


selves, or in drinking well instead of


cistern water.


The State abounds in springs of


excellent water, but


they


are not always accessible.


Rain-water, however, may always


be had, even in the driest seasons, by providing


large cisterns


storage.


Lately,


water


been


procured


bor"jg


through the calcareous crust to the depth of sixty feet or more,


and the water, when filtered, is pleasant to the taste.


A quali-


tative


analysis


one of these wells in the yard of the Put-


nam House, made by my friend Prof. Witthaus, gives the fol-


lowing result


bonate)


Lime (carbonate and sulphate); magnesia (car-


ammonia, soda, chlorine, carbonic acid, sulphuric acid-


(traces); silicic acid


tity.


organic matter; the latter in small quan-


This water ought not to take the place of rain-water for


drinking-purposes.


occur in


The cases of intermittent fever which do


the winter, generally among those who are visiting


different points of interest up and down the river, and more
or less exposed at night, are very manageable. It is not fair,
however, to attribute every case of fever, which occurs among
Northern visitors, to the Florida climate, since the disease has
been so very prevalent, almost over the whole of the Northern
States during the last five years, both in winter and summer,


that it would


more


rational to


attribute the outbreak to


latent disease contracted at home, and developed, as ia ohL-


_1


i


-- I




4. ,
V
X'i ',i **** .


r


offered from it for 'moe than eighteen months, had


failed to


get relief from a hammer's residence in Saratoga Springs, and
have never had an attack since my arrival in Florida last De-


member, though I remained


there


until the 10th of May, and


although the


winter was


an exceptionally favorable one for


the development of malaria, owing to the drought.


Dysentery and diarrhSq of


a mild type, and easily man-


aged,


occasionally attack the winter visitor.


Statistics, which


have


space


quote, show


that phthiis


gives


deaths than in any other portion of the United States.


fewer
Yellow


fever, even when it appears


in other Southern


States, rarely


appears in Florida,


except at Key


West and Pensacola.


It is


almost unknown in East Florida.


time,
fever


," says


Forry, alluding


has prevailed


" This


is only the second
bt


Augustine,


city for. twenty


" that


years;


yellow


while, at


Charleston,


we are told by


Prof. Dickson that in


twenty-four


years' practice but


three have passed without his knowing of


the occurrence of yellow fever.


As regards the essential cause


of yellow fever,


we still remain in the dark.


It is


manifest,


however, that, to develop tile cause, and to keep up its action,


requires


a high


range 0of


atmospheric


"temperature


and,


this condition seldom attains on the coast of Florida, it would


seem


afford, in


part, an


explanation of its


infrequent ap-


pearance in this region."
Wh'o should go to Florida ?


When one thinks of our cold


weather at
June, with


North
last tt


, extending from


three


months


October


of alternate


almost into
freezing and


thawing, cold and damp, with their attendant crops of
influenas, diphtheria, pneumonia, etc., one is disposed


colds,
to an-


swer,


"All


who


afford


The


mass


of visitors,


who


now pour into the. State to enjoy the winter, are


not invalids


the strict sense of the


term;


many


of those who


are in-


valids are not perceptibly so to the general


observer, and


avenge tourist is not therefore annoyed, as he feared he might


b., by constant


contact with


suffering people.


com .of the invalid clam, those afflicted or threatened with
$ fl~huU and its allied affections constitute the majority of the


to'all southern climates.


Although I do not coun-


(''r praetel of banishing those in


the last stage df


Yh ^
,,




"- t ..
C' ,
\ -r ," ^ '


4


,
A' .


the disease from friends and the comforts of home, yet, as has
been before stated, not all of\ those die, and an apparently
rash and hopeless determination of a patient, perhaps in oppo-


sition


physician and


friends, occasionally reeslts in


cure.


Besides, a considerable


margin


ought to be left for a possible


mistake


in diagnosis.


Our


first-class


diagnosticians


would


hardly require this margin, and many who do not come within


this category


winter's


experience


doubtless resent


in Florida


this insinuation.


among


invalid


But a
visitors


would convince the


most skeptical


that modern


diagnosis of


pulmonary complaints, even


professional


among those who stand high in


estimation, has not arrived at the degree of per-


fection usually accorded to it.


Then


there is a class of cases


which
here,


would


greatly


benefited


which is not considered


winter's


of sufficient gravity by


residence


many


physicians to be banished from home


those who present some


rational


symptoms


of phthisis


without


physical


signs--a


condition


unfrequently, at the present day,


con-


founded with


the effects of malaria-such cases as Dr. I.


Pollock had in mind when


phthisis,


" Here "-that


he said, in
where we


his recent lectures on


have


union of sub-


febrile symptoms with progressive waste of the body-is danger


without any physical signs."


Incipient phthisee, pneumonic


consolidation, laryngeal and pharyngeal diseases, have sought
and obtained great and prompt relief from this climate, espe-


cially


hereditary.


Many


oases


of throat-disease are,


however, sent


here


for the local affection, who have the seal


consumption already stamped on the countenance, yet who


are in ignorance


any constitutional


disease, and who


come sorely disappointed at the slow progress, and


hopeless


nature,


of the


case.


thoracic


ometimee
diseaeee,


chronic


most certainly


benefited


rarely
by


confounded


Southern


with


winter.


phthisis, is
AthAma is


benefited


, but to what extent, and in what particular localities,


I am not able to say.


It has been


claimed by invalids that a


locality back of Mellonville or Sanford, on the river, is particu-


larly efficient.


Forry states that


patient who is sauff-


- -.... .. I! -. _. -t- .t-- -.ar----. La


?V
, '*


bronchitise,


A


'U
A
A





*1


mary irritation in other viscera, is mnch benefited; a]
ma connected with affections of the heart. But he (
advise any particular locality. The earlier stages of
disease may be more successfully treated here than in


Iso


Ioes


asth-


Bright's
thle in-


clement


cially


weather of


those


Northern


a delicate


latitudes ;


constitution,


also persons,
convalescing


espe-
from


measles or


scarlatina, particularly when


kidney or other sequel


affection


are slow in passing away.


i of the
Old age


finds


Florida a congenial winter


home.


Aside from


dangers of thoracic disease, to which this


period of life


S so


peculiarly liable in our Northern


spring climate, the vitality


is impaired by the long winter and lagging spring.
this class of the male sex are also suffering from v


Many of
,esical and


prostatio


disease ;


induced by cold,


impairment


causes much suffering, and


cutaneous action


hastens an


unta-


vorable termination. Many cases also of the other sex, whose
vitality has become impaired by chronic uterine disease, and


whose local ailments have been relieved


, as far as possible, by


local treatment, find a no less invigorating tonic in thip balmy


air.


JRheumatism and some forms of


Certain forms of dyspepsia, particularly


nervous dyspepsia,


neuralgia are benefited.
y such as may be termed


which is, like other nervous affections, be-


coming more and more common-which is merely one of


many symptoms


of modern


V


often relieved completely, for a


year I
time


tear," and


, by the


which


bromides,


when


various other treatment has failed-are permanently relieved


by a winter's residence


here.


Lastly, Florida offers


a haven


quiet


for that


condition


which is


unfortunately


becoming so prevalent among the restless, driving denizens of


Northern


cities


towns, which comes under the com-


prehensive designation


nervous prostration ;


what Hand-


field


Jones terms cerebral


scribed by James Johnson


paresis, and


which


was


nearly fifty years ago


thus de-


' "There is


a. condition of body intermediate between sickness and health,


but much


nearer the


former'than the latter, to which


unable to give a satisfactory name.


daily and hourly


S4"tI .-- aS A


1.,,


--_ *' ML 1 .... 1'_1__ _J PIt- __ l q -- 1 .. I l _


A








-' I
S '
,,>h
:'Z


felt by tens
the empire;


of thousands


metropolis and throughout


but I do not know that it has ever been described.


It is not curable by physic, though I at rehend it makes much
work for the doctors ultimately, if not for the undertakers. It


that


WEAR AND


TEAR


of the


living


machine, mental


corporeal, which results from over-strenuous labor or exertion
of the intellectual faculties rather than of the corporeal pow-


era, conducted


in anxiety of mind and in bad air."


For this


cerebral


consumption,


we may


it, Florida affords as


soothing a


balm


as for


pulmonary variety.


It is as un-


satisfactory to
and exciting


treat


atmosphere of


as the other in


the stimulating


our Northern Babylons.


There,


everything is energy, hurry, and rush,


at all times and at all


seasons;


when


body is at


tendency is always


mind is


in the opposite direction.


)t. Here,
Here, the


Northern blasts, as they approach


our borders, are gradually


hushed into whispers. The
along their rocky beds as if


re, the very streams seem
afraid lest winter should


to rush
congeal


them


before


they


reach


their


ocean-goal;


here, the swiftest


currents have


not enough


energy to form a ripple.


ture wears so subdued and peaceful an aspect, as one floats on


broad


placid


bosom of the St. John's, that the most


restless mind soon becomes


attuned


same


measure of


repose.


Rest


has come again


the wearied spirit, sleep


the fevered pillow.


" All that surrounds one in Florida," says


Ledyard,


" is suggestive of, and in unison with, rest;


and noth-


ing is more grateful."
When shall one go to Florida 7


This will depend on cir-


cumstances, extrinsic and


intrinsic, as regards the


and may be left to the judgment of the physician.


individual,
But, if an


invalid has only a limited winter vacation, he had better spend
it at the end than the beginning or middle. When shall one


Iave Florida or the South 1"


is a more important query.


Many


not only sacrifice all the benefit obtained by a winter residence


in the South, by yielding


to an


impatient desire to get home


too early in the spring, but are actually darrtaged to a greater


extent


than


they had remained


at home.


Even healthy


w









catarrh, by going North too soon.


One may commence getting;


homeward


in April,


tires


sameness;


otherwise,


need


not move


until May.


Virginia until the third week
ida becomes oppressive in Ap


But he should not get north of
in May. If the climate of Flbr-
ril, Aiken, or Beaufort, in South


Carolina, affords a more


bracing and, at


both the


beginning


and end of winter, a delightful change.


He should not arrive


latitude of New


York until


third


week in


May,


better even the first of


June, if. he


has actual


pulmonary dis-


ease.


How


by land and


shall one get to Florida P


by sea.


The feeble


There are


invalid, if he


many routes,
takes the for-


mer, should go by easy stages, and not rush.


The


latter part


of the


journey is so slow and


tiresome that, unless he has an


unusual repugnance to the sea, it would be better to take one


the very good


most


popular


steamers, of


being


that


which
which


there


are several


touches


lines,


Charleston


where a transfer takes


place to the steamer which goes direct


to Jacksonville


Pilatka.


Being once aboard, all fatigue


is at


an end


four days of


sea-voyage are


generally


beneficial to


our excellent


steamer, on
the dread of


pulmonary and throat affections.


signal-service


the coast, almost


many.


There


now,


perfectly


are several


render
.y safe.


The warnings
ocean-travel by
Se&asickness is


means by which


may be greatly alleviated, and
First, one may take bromide of


frequently entirely prevented.
potassium in doses of twenty


to thirty grains
embarkation.


three
This


times a day,


deadens


nervous


three


days preceding


impressions


centres, and
power of the


blunts


reflex


bromides from


action.


I was led


their efficacy in


infer this


preventing the


vomiting induced by anesthetics.
ed by Jobard, of Brussels, is, in


Then


many


the belt recommend-


cases, a valuable


ventive.


is worn


, as tightly as can be conveniently borne


(which gives less


trouble to females than


ewais, and should be shaped to fit wel


males), around the


and be


provided with


bones


like corsets.


have


Co.'a, 67 Chatham Street, after


some


Jobard's


made at
pattern.


Tiemann


His idea,


that


,it actby preventing friction of the viacera against tho.







* <4$'


:r,
'-^'C
*

-A '
'w%

As
V


,/I n 'I
-(
MS


wpay act


by the


support


vessels in the abdomen


tion


the blood-pressure


influence the semili
probable explanation
voyages have found


unar


rn,


and .compression


afforded


the great


, thus preventing or limiting the varia-


the braf ;


ganglion.


since


persons


or the pressure may


The former is the more


who


that, by managing


have


made


several


their respiration in a


certain manner, the sickness may be prevented.


That is, by ac-


customing one's self to take an inspiration as the ship descends


with the wave, and


making tile expiration


correspond, as far


as possible,


with the rise of the ship, this apparent sinking of


the ship under the
induce the sickness.


landsman being the motion most likely to
Vomiting and nausea, from a variety of


causes, are


means


, by the


frequently cured,


use of


after the failure of


electricity by faradization.


ordinary
ie writer


first called tl
effects in this


attention of


.profession to its


remarkable


respect, in an article in the first number of the


Archives


Electrology.


not had


sufficient


evi-


dence yet to prove its value in sea-sickness, but such as he


had is


favorable.


A small Gaiffe battery,


which


is inexpen-


sive


easily manipulated,


readily managed by the


patient or a friend,


one wet


electrode being


kept


on the epi-


gastrium,


the other over the spine, or rather just to either side


of it, unless it is large enough to extend across, and then over,
the seventh cervical vertebra.


How shall one live in Florida P


This question will not be


fully answered here, as it will be again taken up.


Those who


*have a fondness for out-door life, hunting, fishing, etc., and who


have the vigor to endure a little


hardship, may form a


party,


provide the necessary equipment, and, with Hallock's


" Camp-


Life


Florida "


and similar books as a guide,


dance of novelty, adventure,


game.


may find abun-
they need any


other advice, I
Ken worthy, of


have no doubt
Jacksonville, i


my friend Al-'reaco, Dr. C.


kindly furnish


to any of


his confr6ree of the profession. One may li
ing-.houses at ten to twelve dollars per week,


ve in good board-
with good rooms


in pleasant situations, but, if he can afford it, the hotels in most


place of resort are far preferable on the score of food.


This


:11"
*It ^ 1
R-
* %
^'.'


a1^^^!^4?",


I






$*** ',


food


asle .qta naon


-for the alleviation or
Full nutrition of the


in the case


cure of


which


bldy is of the


of such diseases
people come to


as those
Florida.


highest importance, and


patients should never sacrifice


to a desire for cheap board;


better to


make almost any other sacrifice.


attributed to the climate are


aspect.


probably due to


If appetite or digestion fail for


Many failures,
error in this re-


lack of inviting or di-


gestible food, and this cannot be obtained,


the invalid


had bet-


ter go North and brave the cold, if he has a comfortable home.
If possible, one should always secure a room into which the sun
shines during a considerable portion of the day, especially the


morning. sun.
beneficial to


Nothing is more cheering, and nothing is more


chronic


invalid


than


sunlight.


trees


should


allowed to intercept the sun's rays.


If too


hot, it


can


be moderated


revivified


by awnings or


by sunshine and


blinds.


light, and


sickly plant


invalid


animal re-


spends equally, if not


so apparently


to their


stimulating in-


luence.


have


banished


tile traditional


heavy and dark-


colored hangings which formerly adorned the bedsteads of the


sick.


Let us equally banish


them


from the


dows of the


sick-chamber, and admit the
to assist our tonics with wh


glorious
iat no arti


light and air of heaven
facial tonic can supply.


us endeavor to


cure


patients of


a prejudice


which


James Johnson aptly terms phoabophobia.


With regard to


the clothing proper for the winter climate


of Florida, it is seldom that the invalid will


want that which


we wear at the North in summer, but rather that suitable for a


moderate winter or late


be sometimes a


Moderately thick clothing will


little oppressive in the middle of the day, but


always
thick (


pleasant
,vercoat


or shawl


morning
.as the


and
case


evening.


A, tolerably


may be, should


always


be taken along


when


one goes


ride, or


in a steamboat, as


the rapid motion creates a draught through the saloons.
woolen clothes should be worn at all times.


Thin


A most


important desideratum


for the


invalid is ooupa-


ion--something to give employment to


both mind and body.


Want of it


stumbling-block to


*i a A. aS La a a -A


improvement and
War -- .-


1





" *
'**"* ;'^
' .'A


kt. 2


- V
^^-


employed


upon something


external,


are sure


be tunraed


upon his disease, whether imaginary or real, and usually to his
detriment. Employment, which Galen calls Nature's Phy-
sician,' is so essential to human happiness that indolence is
considered the mother of misery."' English soldiers in tile
West Indies, while idle, though kept out of the sun, and taken
care of, were far more disposed to diseases, says Robert Jack-


son. than when


kept


at moderate


labor


nearly all day long,


building roads in a marshy district.


Lanier, in his interesting


little


volume


on Florida, himself


an invalid


, thoroughly ap-


preciates the importance of this subject.


He says


" Endeavor


to find some occupation consistent with your disease's require-


ments.
interest


Brooding kills.


yourself i


If you are near a Florida farm (e. g.),


which is


going


on there, the


orange-culture, the
early vegetables, the


grape-culture,


banana


fine tobacco-culture and


like.


the
The


field of Florida in these matters is


yet so


new, so untried


the resources


modern


agricultural


improvement, as to


full as fascinating, if one should once get one's interest aroused
in it, as it was in the old days when the Spaniards believed it


to be full of gold and pearls.


Many invalids came to this spot


winter,


and, finding


nothing to


interest them, although


acknowledging *the


superiority of the climate,


wandered


in search


of novelty.


Many others, although remaining here


for many weeks, found that there were objects of interest still


unexamined when they left, although pretty industriously em-


played all


the time.


The fault, in these cases, is generally in


the individual, not in the place.


Some seek out sources of in-


terest and amusement for themselves wherever they go


others


of different tastes, or
the temptation of in<


less in
dolence.


quiring
Those


habits of mind, yield


who


have become blee


from frequent


visits


ordinary


haunts


visitors


may,


they possess


the requisite


strength and


energy,


strike


new course, and explore almost untrodden regions, and without


any particular danger or discomfort.
sands," says A.M. Oonklin, "who, each
'ih eahvtf heiti and pleasure, few if


dsrlht&1" interim country,' referring to the


"Of the tens of than-
i winter, go to Florida
any ever hear of this


Kiaeimmee and


n something


i A^


I


1


L-


I 1 I










Oceohobee region,


" which is as


little known to the outside


world as Amazonian forests, East India


of equatorial Africa."
jets of interest, there


Besides


jungles, or the


the natural beauties and


akes
ob-


are some of the most interesting relics


of the mound-builders to be found in the State.


Their location


and peculiarities are described in the December (1875) number


of the Forest and Streaom, with a map.


Visitors


last winter


found


much to


interest


them in


their visits


mounds


which are scattered along the St. John's River above Pilatka,


and their explorations
ancient art scattered a


therein.


These


remarkable


works of


over our country are still a mystery,


to some extent, to our scientific


authorities, and


an examlna-


tion of the subject, as found discussed in the many interesting


works


by Baldwin,


Jeffries


Wyman,


others, in


connect


with


the explorations and


prosecute themselves in Florida,


examinations which they can
will be found to afford agree-


* able and perhaps profitable diversion to
considerable portion of the winter.


body and


mind for a


Physicians, in sending their patients South,


frequently ad-


vise them by all


means "to avoid


drugs and


doctors."


The


same advice, at home, might'often be good for those who have


a propensity for too much indulgence in these


in some


instances,
e


saved


doubtless


uxurics (?)


invalids


here


; and
from


injudicious medication and advice.


But, from my experience


last winter, I


judge


that


a much


larger number


have


been


directly injured by it, and, not infrequently, it has cost them


their lives, through neglect of the early treatment of serious
complications. Any physician in large practice in Florida, or
any boarding-house keeper, can furbish instances of this kind.


There


is no prominent


resort


in Florida


where respectable


medical advice cannot be had-advice .which would


certainly


* be far


better than the usual


plan of trusting to


luck or


ture, or the advice of lady-friends, or the carefully-put-up bot-


ties and


packages


brought


from


North


indications for treatment which may chance
long winter. Upless the medical knowled(
skill could also be bottled up to accompal


meet all


to arise during a


diagnostic


SI I I


--11 La 1I*tal-m dmA na a A ^nlnan anti a andre FnrW MC'iKMft&.M


* *^
*-,


l


' '' '- *'


Y'1 1*?


- *.


t


ge


ay tabe I sthey








j> 4rnI.A


tion of


a serious complication, or of a disease, for some simple


derangement, ie too great, much greater than


that of


getting


medical advice ;provided


inquiry is


made for the


best.


Besides the local physicians, there are now, always in all fre-


quented places, medical
trv. well known to the


only


one


instance,


men from other portions of the coun-


profession.


in illustration


The writer


of many


will refer to
which have


fallen under his observation.


A well-known physician of


one


largest


Northern


cities


accompanied


patient


Jacksonville the;past winter, and introduced him


nent


physician


of that


place.


Subsequently, the


to a promi-
latter was


called in


, and found that the gentleman had, from some impru-


dence, taken


a severe cold


a few


days


before, and had been


endeavoring to


get along the best way he could without med-


advice.


He said,


"Doctor, I don't know if I


have


done


right in sending for you,


for Dr.


charged me not to send


for a


physician ;unless


was absolutely


disease proved to be capillary bronchitis,


irremediable even if taken


at the onset.


necessary." The
which is frequently
He was in a hope-


less condition, and died within


twenty-four


hours.


Another,


scarcely less


serious, and


even


writer's opinion (one, indeed,


more


to which


prevalent error,


we must


in the
a cer-


tain extent, plead guilty), is, concealing from the invalid, and
even also from the friends or relatives, the true nature of the


disease.


This entails


unpleasant


consequences


both


on the


profession and the patients.


The true pathological


condition


not being stated,


the different


physicians


who


may be called


in at different


times


to examine


the case are not


apt to


upon the sa:ne statement,


and


thus


public


berate


us for


disagreeing, and the science of medicine is scandalized, or our


honesty is
is a little


impugned.


weak;"


of this lung ;"


One says to the invalid,


another,
another,


" There
" There


" Your


lung


is a little pleuritis at the
is some consolidation at


the apex; "


"The


air does not enter quite as well in


one
dif-.


lung as in the other;"


culty;


"The tubes are


" There


is a little


slightly affected."


bronchial


Often


" chronic


& A


:':4,


, pqWQPS pilB


diagnosed.


If there


Shu b


een


hanmourhags


It.
.% si.,, I
%
,/
Ii: *


*^'


our


. I.'







E~y;;t~
;* 4r,
241,


with his explanation to
my throat, I suppose ? "


he physician
The doctor


that "it is only from
says, Posedby it is,"


and fails to
that it isn't.


physician


undeceive him when he finds, as he usually does,


Then the patient tells his


that


his "


second


doctor" says it is only in his


and his third


throat, and


the other physicians wonder, perhaps, how so eminent an


thority could make so glaring a blunder.


tions


are literacy true, but they are


Now, all these asser-
the zokot trutk; in


fact, but a very small part of it.


A medical man knows what


a "little weakness in one lung signifies, but the patient does


not;
or t


or a little pleurisy at the apex; or a consolidation,"


he


little bronchial difficulty," etc.


nineteen


cases out


twenty,


incipient


knows it means
phthisis--" con-


gumption."


But the patient does not, and he is very sure not


to cross-question the doctor too closely, if


at all.


He is only


too glad


have


comparatively


his fears


trivial


allayed


secondary


so easily.


affections,


Behind


there


these


is often


tubercular deposit, or, if
pneumonic consolidation,


already a cavity.
sive softening in


one prefers to
qr softening;


Many patients come t4


one or


both lungs,


call it so, permanent
or, not unfrequently,
, Florida with exten-


with


the consent, if not


the advice, of their physician


truth,


to crush


bright


who dreads


to tell the


anticipations of


cure,


whole
which


they and their relatives have formed,


through the instrumentat-


ity of the climate of


this favored region,


which they have


heard so


much


and, perhaps, hoping that, at least, a


tempo-


rary


progress


the disease


may


be obtained.


When an early death occurs,


with none, perhaps, but strangers


around, and


body is, according


to custom


sent


home by


express,
Florida.


then


the physician's


reputation


If he is right, Florida is wrong.


suffers,


or that


Florida can-


* not work miracles.


the threshold


It is


, by


true, the physician


friends of the invalid


is often
with


met
the c


tion, and often


quasi command,


"Don't tell


her she has con-


sumption-it will kill her if you do


the contrary,


One may wel


" It will kill her if you don't."


theeffects of the deception


are far worse ti


say, on


In the long-run,
ian those of the


-.,


C


au-


h






~*~Zt A


while the latter are transient, though, no doubt, at times di-


treeeing and severe.


matter


nings of the disease may be, the
should say to the patient, "You I


how slight, then, the


begin-


moment we are certain, we
have what will result in con-


sumption '


without proper management."


fait,


in most


cases, we can say,


" You have the beginning of


consumption."


the announcement is made


min a proper


manner,


which


the physician's tact
idiosyncrasy of his


neutralized
other state


will enable him to vary according to


patient, the


shock is


slight,


, and the patient's confidence reassured,


ent


that,


with


due care, and


proper


Id entirely
by the fur-


hygienic and


remedial


measures, the


disease can


be cured


just as certainly


as many other diseases.
superfluous attempt, at


It would be a


this "epoch


waste of


of medical


time, and a


history, to un-


dertake
sidered
reason
chronic


prove this.


for this.


Consumption


always


medicorum.


Consumption is


affection-more so


than


as curable


many


been


con-


there is no


as any


them,


other


we can


command
himself
curable


d


the conditions


of cure,


of the proper remedies.


without


patient


avail


Most diseases would be in-


a resort to the proper remedies.


so hap-


pens, however, that most of the best remedies for this disease


are unattainable by tihe majority of those afflicted by it


that


most


patients,


influenced


delusion


which


also,
is so


characteristic


a symptom,


often


by the


concealment of


physician and friends, delay treatment.
ity. The cure of phthisis will never be I


any combination of


indeed


drugs, although


thee


, in most cases, indispensable auii


Hence its great fatal-
found in any drug or
ie are valuable, and,
liaries. There is no


disease, in which skillful diagnosis, sound judgment, judicious
advice as to habits, occupation, climate, all the minutim which


enter into individual


daily life, are


so well


repaid


by corre-


spending success as in this.


Change is generally the key-note


to our management of incipient phthisis-change of locality,
of air, of almost all the habits, leaving off bad and adopting
good; wntilabtwn rs e (judiciously managed),iuod. Now,


it wbuld be mockery almost for


ns to


say to the


poor


sdoe-


.i~raik a- 1 .


- z S- -


of the opprobria


L1 _,I_ _L L.. ~: !e ,I




7" -.'


* /


'A


r^ I


with its


confined


sea or the farm, to


nd poisoned a
out-door work


food, sound wine, fewer hours


only


remedies,


alternative.


we- must


do the


When


best we


hygienic rules as can be observed.


You


must


and regular
work," etc.
we cannot


can.


take


to the


exercise, good
We are driven
et the proper
prescribe such


We prescribe cod-liver oil,


,I

r-S
' +'


phosphorus


compounds,


palliatives


cough,


etc.,


and we thus lengthen and render more tolerable


cannot save.


stances,


we do


lives we


Sometimes, even under these untoward circum-
p save life. All do not die, by any means. The


physician who, at this day, consigns
to the realms of despair even in the
the disease, without an effort to save


consumptive


patient


more advanced stages of


him


, scarcely appreciates


his mission to its fullest extent.


* Suppose, then, that our inva-


lid knows that he has incipient consumption, or that condition
of lung, call it by whatever name you will, which under ordi-


nary circumstances


almost


surely


result in


actual


con-


sumption.
chance fo


those


able


He is cheered by the confident assurance that his


complete
to avail


recovery
themselves


is good


are speaking


of our advice);


that,


at all


events,
greatly


if he


does


prolonged.


completely recover,


But,


understands


may


that


is, so to speak,


in his own hands


that he must, in a measure,


work out his own salvation.


He knows that he banishes him-


self from home, perhaps from friends also, to make a fightbor


4fe.


He ought to know, likewise, that the fight


a short one;


is not to be


that perseverance is necessary, and a patient


quiescence in all the minute of the


advice


of his


physician,


however muck and often it may conflict with iis oishes and


his temporary pleasures.


Without this knowledge, it is almost


impossible to get the patient to avoid the most outrageous in-


fractions of the most simple


rules.


The physician


must


that his


patient


is not hampered


by too


much


advice


and too strict roles.
nual character come
signment to the ba


Here, judgment and a study of


into play.
okwoods, to


Some patients may


interior


1


individ-
ear con-


pine-regions-no


K.nk aa As da* L. ni a.- me -,t,,414,,wa


'^*i*^^ ^-r -'
.,
*' v


w


,''. *


^
L


1 (


Nn


arr-rrrl-irr


mnra




:.>^


-4.
'.4,
~s., -~U-


moisture or dryness, are to


for
tion


individual
s, diversion


patients


be considered in
congeniality, am


thoughts


from


making a choice


usements,


within


, life,


occupa-
activity,


facility of access to and from the outside world.


But, suppose .the


.disease


is not incipient.


Suppose it is


advanced


that it involves a considerable


portion of the lung,


that softening has commenced, even an abscess exists.


be asked


It may


" Would you still inform a patient of his condition "


To a certain extent, yes


dividual.
involve


How far,


would


There are exceptions to all rules.


more


stringent


rules


advice


depend on the in-
Such conditions


than


milder


cases


few patients will


disposed


atfall times if they are not impressed with


submit to them
3 necessity, and


they cannot be so impressed if they are told that nothing very


serious


exists.


The general condition of


many of these-the


appearance,


figure, the


muscular strength,


appetite,


the sleep, the ability to sustain


considerable fatigue-may be


good, or quite fair ;


it requires no small degree of


confi-


dence in a physician to convince such
edition is such as to demand so close an


invalids that their con'
adherence to hygienic


rules.


Even if


usual


debility,


cough,


emaciation,


exist


the delusion


which is an


almost


*inseparable attendant


on the disease, prevents the invalids from realizing the mean-


ing of


these symptoms.


Being in


Ignorance of their condi-


tion, they are constantly wondering why the cough cannot be


' stopped;
be arrested
they do n<


" why the hoarseness or soreness of


throat cannot


why the expectoration cannot be checked ;


)t gain flesh


whom they look upon


why


or strength more rapidly, like others
as afflicted with the same form of dis-


ease.


physician


kept them in


ignorance of their


condition


, he cannot explain himself satisfactorily; his appar-


want


success impairs confidence,


they


apply to


some other


, in going from one to-another, and from one


location to another, and


thus


undergoing a succession of ex-


periments with various drugs and various climates, they lose


the only hope,
Some of thi


which is in a steady perseverance.
e reasons toa iwacids fail to a


r Mte cM-


ir:,


I -


I


Y Y







"'* v .
,r *<


-;y'A
*/i\"l


r* a o* f.
tl", ,


fl"ff


proper appreciation of their condition, and of proper advice,


leading to
recklessness


want


of proper care.


want


fact, the


common-sense


extent of the


exhibited


many invalids would not be believed by any one who had not


observed it.


Even


remonstrances of friends seem to in-


fluence them but in


ander


a trifling


Mitchell, of Villa


corroborate this


degree.


Alexandria,


statement, as


My friend Mrs. Alex-


near


almost any


Jacksonville, can
observing person


jl
\.
r^*
4 *


here


can.


beauty and


Her hl
tasteful


house


grounds


adornment


affording,


from


their


, a source of pleasure to visit-


ors, she is sometimes almost


overwhelmed


by them,


related numerous instances of the temerity of invalids, ladies


especially, in


coming


over in


frail


sail-boats in the most ii-


clement weather, and clad


in tle most


sometimes arriving drenched with


unsuitable


spray or ram.


garments,
On one or


occasions


them.


to send


In fact, her experience teaches


boats


her that, if there


rescue


is a


particularly


unsuitable


visitors


venture


water,


must


expect a


batch


of invalids.


Her


kind


monstrances seem to


be entirely unheeded,


the same


invalids


not unfrequently repeating the operation.


Instead of getting


the best advice as t
able length of time


location


testing


remaining there a reason-


it, they remain


a day or two,


, if the weather happens


to be unpropitious,


or the


hote


table not precisely what it should be, or the company not par-


ticularly agreeable,


or the


evenings


, off they


another experiment,


all winter.


thus traveling from one place to anot


Suppose they find a place which they cannot but


acknowledge
commodation


be all


, fare, etc.


they


One


could


would


expect as


suppose


climate,


that any


invalid would be glad to remain there.


" I am getting


tired of this


place."


"My


is so dull."


daughter


don't


enjoy


)r, "My
herself."


wife d


And


they go in search of variety and excitement.


Life and health


weigh lightly against matters of such magnitude as these


party is


made


when


the weather


is tine, to go


to some


lake or stream on an


excursion.


When the hour arrives, the


S *t S U.


"
-V
^.


sane


* I*
r ->* 5:
-, ^\!' ,*


*


q


* J






tIt~~s ~.


*'itt
-X~ ',d-rr (
- "


think of going."
to protest against


Not so.
any


They are


postponement;


knowing anything about it, that the


usually among the first


wind


asserting,


will soon


without
change


and the day be pleasant.
that is to be seen. The'


the boat,


where


view


Many, on the other hand,
any competent medical a


' And then they must ses everything


r must stand


is best, and
come to one


advice, do


in the forward part of'
the draught is worst.
locality, and, without


stay a


whole


winter, get-


ting worse all the
is good, the music
daughters, and tl


while.


is fair, there


iey


are hoping


they like the
are frequent


place, the room
"hops for the


time to get


better.


Then


, when spring


comes, they go home, and condemn ria,


as if the whole


State, like


France,


were represented


one


city.


instance,


Miss M.


, and a gentleman-friend suffering


from lung-trouble, went to Sarasota Bay, then to Manatee, on


the Gulf


coast.


They were out of


the world and uncomfort-


able, a
mained


getting


rather


worse


than


better.


and, in order to get away in the


they


spring, had to pro-


ceed


some


miles


in a small


boat to


the coast to await


uncertain


arrival


of the


little steamer plying to Cedar Keys.


And


here


they


were


exposed


naturally rather "disgusted with


* two days;
'Florida.' "


both


Again,


the in-


valid, o0
nothing


n the way down


more


likely.


in the cars
The cola is


takes a


neglected,


slight


"cold ;"


it gets worse;


cough


increases,


nights


are thus


made


restless


sleepless, the appetite fails, there is some fever.
or mother gets nervous. "The climate don't a
haps they go home again, or go to St. Augustir


or Jackson v


The husband
gree," and per-
ie, or to Aiken,


le, or Pilatka, or somewhere else, anywhere ex-


cept where they ought to go, that is, to a competent physician


for advice, as to what they should do.


be required,
little judicini


A suitable change may


or perhaps only a simple cough-mixture,


us


nursing is al


that is required to give the cli-


mate a


"fair


show."


Sometimes


change


water


climate causes a diarrhea, or it may set in as one of the acci-


dents of the disease.


It is a simple matter if managed in the


ft .


.* *i i) "


d


1


A q ,






k4 '^
Sr 'f
p ., .


'" con sults a friend.


Another is


" sore."


She has a specific,


This


don't


succeed.


course; t
Finally,


fails.


perhaps


after considerable damage is done, a physician is consulted as


a dernier resort.


Loss of


appetite is a not unfrequent corm-


4 -. ,y
r J > *
tk.^ ,

4

:-'1_


plaint among this class of invalids.


But this is endured


worried about, and friends are again consulted,


and "bitters"


are recommended, and


the winter is


thus wasted to a consid.


erablo extent.


It is a very common


occurrence, and


one of


the'greatest nuisances of Southern watering-places in winter,


for patients
sometimes,


lose their sleep, night after night,


with


a most


severe


persistent


weeks


cough,


seemingly not to be aware of it.


At all


events, they consult


no physician ;


distress


insomnia,


other


troubles arising from it, sometimes completely counterbalance


any good
Hotels s<


effect


they might


)metimes


have


derived


some of their


from


families ii


climate.
a conese-


quence of one person on a corridor coughing night after night.
It would be tiresome to multiply these examples. One might


adduce scores.


They are


mentioned


as a hint to those who


may


benefited


by them.


They


are not,


;ny means,


overdrawn.


The writer is willing to


the suspicion


that


he may have a selfish object.


Those who know him will give


him credit for a


better motive.


The following remarks, of


writer


than whom no one is


better qualified


give


advice


on this subject, are so appropriate in this connection,


that they


ought to be quoted at length


"Let not the invalid


, however,


trust too much to a change of climate.


Unfortunately for the


character


criminately, and


remedy,
without


been


recommended


proper consideration.


indis-
been


often


resorted to as a last resource or a forlorn hope


in cases susceptible of


alleviation


or permanent cure, it has


been


wholly


misapplied.


One


person


is hurried


from


native


land


with


certainty


of having.


sufferings


creased, and his life shortened


, instead of being allowed to die


in peace in his own family;


while


another, who might derive


much advantage from


the change, is sent abroad wholly un-


instructed in regard to the selection of


proper residence, or


- -a a a -S -


id it


;''* .'"
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7, JI








A


suitable climate can be rendered beneficial.


.It is one of


our


most powerful


remedial


agents, and


too which, in


many


oases,


admit


no substitute.


But,


much


permanent ad-


vantage will result neither from


traveling nor change of


mate, nor their combined influence, unless the invalid adheres


strictly to such regimen


edy-change of


as his case


climate-must


may require.
considered in


This rem-
the light of


all other therapeutic means, and, to insure its proper action, it


is requisite


that the necessary conditions


observed.


The


patient should, in a measure, regard the change


of climate as


merely


placing


him


in a situation


more


favorable


operation


remedies demanded by his disease."


These


remedies, whether local or general, or both, though ineffective


in a northern


climate, may become


curative when


aided


the healing influences of a southern climate and out-door exer-
cise and employment.

















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